NATO summit was marked by several positive decisions for Latvia - MP

RIGA - The NATO Summit in Vilnius this week was marked by several positive decisions for Latvia, Igors Rajevs (United List), an MP and parliamentary secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, said on Latvian Television today. 

Rajevs welcomed NATO's new defense plans which provide for defending NATO territories "from the first centimeter" and increasing allied presence in the region. Canada and Italy have already announced concrete plans to increase their contingents in Latvia, the lawmaker noted. 

The summit's decisions regarding Ukraine's defense proved disappointing to many, but one could not expect anything more, Rajevs said. He added that Ukraine may be skeptical about various security guarantees, as they have been given already in the past but have not protected against the Russian invasion.

As for the US plan to give cluster munitions to Ukraine, Rajevs stressed that such munitions were not new in this war, as they were already in the possession of Russia and Ukraine and had been used in action. However, the US has very specific cluster munitions, which proved very effective in the Gulf War, the expert noted.

According to Rajevs, both Ukrainians and Russians stepped up hostilities during the summit. The MP believes that this wave of hostilities will subside for a while until the next offensive.